Katie Maximick

I'm not a politico, not by any means.

I'm 28 years old and well educated, so I bet you some people would think I should be more in tune with Canadian politics than I am.

Sorry guys, that’s just not the case.

As much as I would love to know the inner workings of Canada’s current federal government, its parties, its candidates, its MPs and squabbles, I just can’t get into it.

And that’s the thing. I’m not interested, because there’s nothing, or no one, to be interested in these days.

People have been complaining for years about low voter turnout in Canada, especially among the younger population; but has anyone ever stopped blaming the “lazy teenagers” and considered why young Canadians don’t express their democratic right and vote?

Reasons such as how boring, stale and god-awful Canadian politics has been for over the past 10 years?

I mean, I’m just throwing it out there. Why would any particular 19 year old be attracted to politics right now? How eye catching are Stephen Harper’s robotic movements and monotonous voice? Or the fact that a group of grandpas playing a slow game of magical chairs has been running the Liberal party?

Wouldn’t that so-called 19 year old rather play video games or watch HBO’s Game of Thrones than check out the latest drone speaking in the House of Commons?

Because if you asked me, the Canadian government can’t complain about a lack of interest from young people if they’re not doing anything to solve the problem. And it is a problem.

You want to get more young voters to come out in the next election? Why don’t you try engaging them with something or someone, I don’t know, interesting?

As a person who ran seminars in university, I can tell you the key thing I took away from teaching was that students can learn anything, and will learn and remember, if you can make the subject interesting.

Make it interesting, and those kids will gobble it up like a Wendy’s Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger.

If you don’t… well, you’ll get a lot of glazed-over eyes and students dicking around on their iPhones.

And you know what makes it interesting? People like Justin Trudeau. His “outburst” in the HOC when he called Environment Minister Kent “a piece of shit” might have been deemed worthy of hellfire to Conservatives, but in terms of garnering youthful attention to Canadian politics, Trudeau hit that nail right on the head.

Just like his father did.

Dislike Pierre Trudeau all you like, but his charismatic personality was magnetic. No one can argue that when Trudeau Sr. was in politics, all of Canada was interested in every move he made; all of Canada was interested in politics.

And that unanimous amount of interest died with him.

Not to say Justin Trudeau is like his father (it’s too soon to tell), but if he is, one thing he has going for him could be the ability to revive a national interest in politics.

By no means should politicians start swearing at each other in public to catch the eye of young voters; but could they at least be interesting or show Canadians an authentic personality?

Justin Trudeau did something that young Canadians (who didn’t know his father) have yet to see in modern politics; the truth, unhindered by PC expressions or political jargon. It was a moment of raw feeling; a moment that made a Canadian politician human.

With the passing of Jack Layton, what was left of passion in today’s federal politics went with him. What do we have left? Musical chairs Liberal leaders and the dead, dead eyes of Stephen Harper.

How sexy is that?

What I want to see, and I imagine what a lot of young Canadians want to see, are politicians who have the balls (or ovaries) to stand up for the rights of Canadians and call a spade a spade without all that legal, over-PC mumbo jumbo.

We want charisma, passion, attitude! We want someone with life in them, someone who will pique our interest and make us believe in the political system again.

It really doesn’t seem to be too much to ask for.

Justin Trudeau gave us a taste of it, and whether or not you like his party, it has to be admitted by all Canadians that this country’s government could use a few energy drinks; or a dip in the fountain of youth.

It’s archaic, boring, dusty and stale.

Give us someone to root for; give us someone who makes us excited and who voices their agenda in a language we can understand, and can believe.

Give us a human.

Intentional or not, Trudeau’s vibrant language and passionate response to Kent might’ve shown some young people that politics can be something to get excited about; politics can make someone so impassioned that they’ll stand up for their beliefs in a way that means risking their reputation in the process.

Trudeau behaved like a human, something the Robotic Harper can’t seem to do, no matter how awkward he makes everyone feel when he tries to be.

Trudeau’s “slip” in the House of Commons was like someone opened a window in a stale, musty attic.

Rather than close that window, someone needs to prop it open with a broom handle and clear the air, and give the place a good dusting while they’re at it.

Ask any teacher: you’re never going to keep the attention of young people without making them interested in the subject you’re lecturing on.

Work on that, Canada, and I guarantee a higher young voter turnout next election.